LC 151 
.Z3 
I Copy 1 



AN ADDRESS 



TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION 



ESPECIALLY, AMONG THE ILLITEEATE CLASSES 



BY 



PEOF. J. 0. ZACHOS 



CURATOR OF THE LIBRARY OP THE COOPER UNION 



(Under the Auspices of the "National Society for Illiterates") 



Nenv York, Auqust 1st, 1891 



AN ADDRESS 



TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION 



ESPECIALLY, AMONG THE ILLITEEATE CLASSES 



BY , J^ 

y 

PROF. jro. ZAOHOS 



F. J^C,^' 



CURATOR OF THE LIBRARY OF THE COOPER tTNION 



V 



f 



(Under the Auspices of the "National Society for Illiterates") 



New Yoek, August 1st, 1891 



, La 



COPYRIGHT, 1891 
BY 

J. C. ZACH08 



1R0»V DIRECTORY 

PRINTING *ND BOOKBINDING COMPANY 

NEW YORK 



■^ rVi 



^.TO THE FEIENDS OF EDUOATIOK 



The " National Society for tlie Illiterate," is designed 
to promote such irietliods of instruction in reading, as will 
facilitate the teaching, and much shorten the time of in- 
struction, in reading English. Such a method is indicated 
in the small essay that accompanies this address. 

But first, we call your attention, respectfully, to the fol- 
lowing facts, bearing upon the illiteracy of this country. 

I. From the Report of the Superintendent of Public In- 
struction for the State of New Jersej'. 

September 3, 1890. — From affirmations of the Superin- 
tendent of Instruction for the State of New Jersey, we learn 
the following startling facts : 

" There are thirteen cities in the State that furnish sit- 
ting room for only 30, to 47, per cent, of the children of 
those localities. In other words, more than half of the 
children are deprived of school privileges. Not a citj^ fur- 
nished sitting capacity for 70 per cent ! Jersey City can 
seat less than one-third of its school population. Think of 
it ! In some localities in the old State of New Jersey, in 
this great and enlightened Republic of America, less than 
one-third of the children can go to the public schools ; and 
many cannot go anywhere, to school. Wh}' can they not 
attend school ? Perhaps, the people do not consider it ne- 



4 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

cessary. No ! The Government is professedly founded 
on tlie education and enlightenment of the people. What 
then ? The people do not provide the means. Are they 
too poor ? They are possessed of revenues incalculable, 
in their abilities. On all sides, from a thousand ports of 
entry, in a great luition of which this State is a part, and 
from countless workshops within the nation, commerce and 
manufactures are aggregating vast wealth. No ! It is not 
the poveVt}' of the people that causes neglect of the schools. 
It is the principle, on whicTi they are managed. Tlie ade- 
quate support of the public schools hy voluntaiy, local taxa- 
tion, is a failure. 

" From the last national report, we find that for ten 
years preceding 1 888, the increase of school population for 
New Jersey, between the ages of six and fourteen years, 
was 26.2 per cent. The increase of enrolment was 13.4 
per cent. ; — just about, two of increase of population, to one 
of enrolment in the schools. This means a growing popula- 
tion who do not go to school. A growing population who 
do not go to school, means growing illiteracy and the growth 
of a dangerous class." 

" New Jersey is not alone in this condition. Let us look 
at the nine North Atlantic States ; — those extending from 
Maine to Pennsj'lvania. Tiie oldest, I'ichest of the States, 
and those in which the present method of supporting the 
schools by local taxation, if anywhere, may be expected to 
be perfect in its working. From the report to which I 
have referred, — (Colonel Dawson's) we find that in tlie ten 
^•ears immediately preceding 1888 the increase of childi'en be- 
tween the ages of six and fourteen years, was 16.5, per cent. 
Tiie increase of school enrolment for the same time, was but 
5.7, per cent ; — just about one-third. Two-thirds of the 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

growing popiTlation, kept out of school ; — and this, in the 
nine oldest and perhaps most enlightened States ! To decide 
whether the system of support of public schools by volun- 
tary, local taxation, is a success or failure, we would not 
need to go further ; but, in fact, the same tendency and 
direction of education matters, is seen all over the Union. 
We are doing a great deal more of talking, each yeai', 
about what we are doing in the schools ; but, the quantity 
of what we are doing, does not bear the same ratio to the 
amount of work to be done, that it did ten years ago. For 
that reason, illiteracy is growing upon ns, and must con- 
tinue to grow. 

" That legislator must be deaf indeed who, living within 
the State, has not heard the appeals of school officers, for 
more money, with which to furnish needed schools, and of 
children demanding admission. And he must be wilfully 
blind, with tlie facts and figures we have quoted, — easily 
accessible for verification, — who does not see that the 
School fund of the State is the one of all least able to con- 
tribute to the other expenses of the State government." 

11. From Annual Report of Superintendent Draper. 

Albany, January 3d. — Superintendent Andrew S. Draper, 
of the State Department, of Public Instruction, in his 
thirty-seventh annual report, for the year 1890, says in 
substance, that the school year jast closed, has been one of 
the most prosperous and successful, in the whole history of 
the common school system of the State. " The number 
of children of school age, between five and twenty-one 
years, in the State is 1,844,596 ; of which, 1,042.160 have 
attended the public schools, during the year just closed ; 
when the average daily attendance of pupils was 642,984." 



b AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

Whence, it appears tliat of the wliole number of chil- 
dren of school age, 802,000, liave not attended school ; and 
this is nearly, 200,000, more out of school, than the aver- 
age daily attendance. It would be curious to know, how 
many of those in non-attendance, are less than fifteen years 
of age ; and how many are illiterate. 

In his two preceding reports, Mr. Draper called attention 
to the alarming fact that, " comparatively speaking, the at- 
tendance upon the public schools is falling off." Again he 
sounds the alarm. " The total attendance upon the 
schools," he now I'eports, when compared with the whole 
number of children of school age, has grown less and less, 
with strange uniformity. This condition of things, is an 
irresistible ai'gument for the prompt passage of a working, 
compulsory, education law, to supei'sede the useless one, 
now on the statute-books. Certaiidy, there is gi-eater need 
for a general diffusion of education in a republic than in a 
government, not " of the people." Yet, the duty of com- 
pelling the attendance of children at school, which Kew 
York neglects, is, as the report shows, faithfully dischai'ged 
by German}', France and England. 

III. Facts from the Keport on the Public Schools of Xew 
York City. 

October 1, 1890. — The intei-esting and valuable report 
which " President Hunt, of the Board of Education, and 
Supei'intendent Jasper have been preparing during the last 
ten days, in answer to Mayor Grant's questions regarding 
the conditions of the schools, was sent to the Mayor yester- 
day aftei'iioon. The report is full and complete, and covei's 
more than twenty type-written pages. It reflects great 
credit on the compilers. It i-eads in part, ns follows: "Re- 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 7 

ferring directly to the interrogatories contained in your 
communication." 

"The legal school age is from five to twenty-one years. 
The limit of age for compulsory attendance at school, is 
fourteen. The estimated population between the ages of 
five and fourteen years, is as follows : Grammar, 103,000 ; 
Primary, 168,000 ; total, 271,000. The estimated school 
population between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one 
years, is 208,000. Of the population between the ages of 
fourteen and twenty-one, — there are taught in the public 
schools, 155,001 ; in the nautical, coi'porate and evening- 
schools, 18,000; in the parochial and private schools, 30,- 
000; in the colleges and academies, 4,999. These make a 
total of 208,000.^' 

" If every one of the school population, between the ages 
of five and twenty-one years, should apply for admission to 
tlie public schools, and eveiy chiss-room and main room 
should be filled to its legal limit, thei'e»i#vonld remain 
84,000, unsupplied with school accommodations. Accom- 
modations would also be needed for the 18,000 pupils 
over fourteen years old, who have actually been taught 
in the public schools. Hence, the apparent deficiency 
in school accommodations, would amount to 102,000 sit- 
tings. Taking into consideration the estimated attend- 
ance in other schools, etc., the deficiency amounts to about 
100,000." 

IV. Public Education in Connecticut. 

April 20, 1889.— "The last annual report of the Con- 
necticut Board of Education, reveals a condition of things 
which is calulated to astound the country; and which can- 
not fail to mortify every good and public-spirited citizen of 



8 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

Connecticut. It demonstrates that the country schools ut- 
terly fail to do the work entrusted to them. Tliese coun- 
try schools d® not begin, even, to half-teach." '• In one of 
the towns of New London County, out of thirty-five chil- 
dren, twenty-two could not write, — enough, even to make 
an attempt at an examination ; and of these twenty-two, 
some were twelve years old, and had attended school from 
six to eight years ! Nor was this an isolated case. In an- 
other school in the same town, four children, ages respec- 
tively ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen, could not make a sin- 
gle letter. The failure in spelling was still more marked. 
''Out o£ 1,829, pupils tested " — we quote from an abstract 
of the report, — " 787, misspelled, ' which,' 699 misspelled 
' whose,' and 403, could not spell the name of the town in 
which tliey lived." An examination in arithmetic, revealed 
the fact that thirty-two out of seventy pupils above the age 
of thirteen, were unable to do a sum in simple addition. 

Y. Education among " The Poor Whites," at the South. 

May 25, 1889. — It appears from a report made to the 
Presbyterian Assembl}', that the mountain districts of North 
Carolina, Southwest Virginia, Southern and Eastern Ken- 
tucky and Eastern Tennessee, contain a population of about 
two million, white people ; — lai-gelj' of Scotch-Irish de- 
scent ;— of whom, 70, per cent., can neither read nor write. 
This statement suggests the reflection that if there is one 
thino; which is more essential than the education of the 
Southern negroes, it is the education of the Southern 
whites. 

VI. When the Majority of the Poorer Children Leave 
Scliool ; and How Much they Accomplish. 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 9 

Levi Wells Hart, a distingnislied teacher, thus states the 
facts, ill the." American Journal of Education." 

" Half the school-boys, or more than half, leave school, 
by the age of about eleven years ; — in the great cities of 
New York, Chicago, Brooklyn, St. Louis, JSTew Orleans, and 
other cities. The statistics show it. The Superintendents 
show it." 

" In other words, more than half of the children, even 
under the best oi-ganized systems, do not attend school, more 
than three years. With shorter terms and poorer facilities, 
the attendance in the rural districts, in most of the country 
schools, is even less than in the city schools." 

From eight to eleven or twelve, are the three vital years 
for all such children ; — boys and girls ; the vital years af- 
fecting and controlling and over-ruling the whole after-life. 
Then, or never, is the alternative. 

"The primary school course ought to be expressly fitted 
to the wants of this immense number of young children ; — 
even more critically and lovingly fitted to their needs than 
any other. Select the very best teachers for these little 
folks ; because, they have so little time to spare ; — so much 
need to be prepared for life." 

Put these facts stated by Mr. Hart, with those of Presi- 
dent Eliot of Harvard Hniversity : — 

Boston, November 29, 1890. — President Eliot, of Har- 
vard University, speaking before the Massachusetts Teach- 
ers' Association, says : 

" I turn now to the examination of the quantity of work, 
really done in our common schools ; in our average gram- 
mar schools ; — not to its distribution, but to its quantity. 
In the first place, let me take the reading quantity. I find 
that in anaverasce school, the amount of time given to read- 



10 AN ADDRESS TO THK FRIENDS OF EDUCATTON. 

ing and the study of the English language, through the 
spelling-book and the little grannnar, which is used in that 
school, and in a variety of other aids in the learning of 
English, — the amount of time so devoted is 37, per cent, of 
all school time, through six years. A graduate of a high- 
school, could read consecutively aloud all that the children 
have done, in these six years, in forty-six hours. Of course, 
this is only a rough test in an endeavor to give some idea of 
the quantity of work perfoi'med ; it does not represent the 
capability of the childish mind at all." 

President Eliot finds that " the tiu)e devoted to arith- 
metic in the public schools, is nearly 21 per cent., but by 
careful computation, he finds that a high school pupil can 
do the entire amount of arithmetic work scattered through 
two yeai's, in just fifteen hours. lie thought that in gen- 
eral the memory was trained too much and the faculties of 
observation too little." 

VII. The General Census, On the Illiteracy of the 
Country. 

The following statistics, sum up the facts, with respect 
to the illiteracy of the whole countr^^ It is one of the 
last general reports made by the " Commissioner of Edu- 
cation " in Washington. 

This Report is not based on the last census of 1890, 
which has not been promulgated, at the present writing ; 
but on the census of 1880 ; and from other sources, within 
tlie reach of the Department. Its moral and statistic force, 
on the question, is therefore, not impaired ; for, similar 
conditions, still prevail. 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, 



11 





Population. 


Persons, u n - 
able to write, 
— b e t w een 
10, and 21, 
years. 


Adult illiter- 
ates — 21, or 
more years, 
old. 


The Northern Division of States 
and Territories, — New England — 
the Mid States and the West- 
ern 


29,567,961 

18,507,324 

1,902,874 


1,338,814 

4,715,395 

159,971 


1,100,364 


Southern States — from Delaware, 
to Texas 


2,961,371 


Pacific Division West of the Rocky 
Mountains 


119,612 


Total 


49,978,159 


6,214,180 


4,181,347 



It appears by this table, that in a total population of 
49,978,159, 10,395,527 are illiterate ; — or about one-tenth ; 
— counting the voting population, at one-sixth of the whole, 
we have, 8,329,693, voters. 

The last column shows 4,181,347, illiterate adults ; — or 
nearly one-half ! 

What the Society Propose. 

The "National Society for Illiterates," in view of the 
facts above given, propose to organize public sentiment, 
and bring it to bear on the best and most efficient methods, 
to overcome, or at least, much diminish the illiteracy of 
this country ; for, whatever other political or social evils 
msiy beset our country, this, of illiterac}^, aggravates them 
all, and even makes some of them possible. 



YIII. The National Govei-nment must be Induced to 
Act in Mitio-atino; this National Evil. 

The fact of most vital bearing on the question, is that 



12 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, 

through the emancipation of slaves in the South, now 
amounting to 8,500,000, with the endowment of citizenship, 
a great amount of illiteracy has been thrown upon a part of 
the country, falling very heavily upon its local resources; a 
fact for which, the general Government is responsible ; — 
certainly not the local governments of the South. 

The same fact exists, in different degrees, through a 
policy of free immigration, that has poured its hundreds of 
thousands of the illiterate into locations where, tke popula- 
tion is either too dense, as in large cities, or too sparse, as 
in the West and South, for the local resources of these 
sections to meet this illiterate condition of the people, with- 
out some help fi'om other parts having a less disproportion 
between the means and the end. 

Out of this state of things, arises the appalling fact that 
" illiteracy in these parts, is growing as fast as the popula- 
tion ! " 

IX. The Colisequences of this Fact. 

Let the reader fix his mind upon this fact, and gauge its 
momentous consequences. 

The fact of this growth of illiteracy, in this country, is 
forced upon us, by the observation and testimony of those 
jnost competent to ascertain the truth ; — Superintendents 
of education and of schools throughout the country. It is 
officially announced by the Commissioner of Education in 
Washington. 

There is no other remedy for this evil than either to take 
the vote out of the hands of the illiterate, or to provide some 
measure, to decrease the illiteracy of the country ; — and this 
must be done by some other means than the natural in- 
ciease of the wealth, population, and diffused intelligence 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 13 

of the people. On this, some are disposed to rely, but it 
can have no sufficient application ; because, though the 
population of this country doubles every twenty-five years, 
and its wealth quite as nuich, yet, illiteracy increases as 
fast, or, faster than the population in parts of the country ; 
■ — especially, at the South. 

What is the hope, then, that this overshadowing and 
paralyzing evil, menacing the free institutions of our countiy, 
can be met by the grovi'ing intelligence and wealth of those 
sections, Territories, and States wdiere it now prevails ? The 
fact still remains that the illiteracy grows the fastest, where, 
the population increases the most rapidly ; — in large cities, 
in the South, where the negro increases faster than the 
white ; and in the West, most i-apidly filling by immigra- 
tion. 

X. The Objection of "Autonomy." 

The whole resources of the countrj^ are, therefore, called 
upon to mitigate this evil ; — at least by helping, for a lim- 
ited time, the resources of those sections of the country, 
whei-e illiteracy is gaining ascendancy ; and where the local 
indifference of the governing class, as well as the poverty of 
the people, make it impossible to stem this great evil 
through the whole country. 

It is true that " municipal government " and even, " in- 
dividual rights " are the " safeguard of general liberty." 
But it is sophistical to argue that such rights can stand 
against the interests of the whole country. 

A bill, with guarded and careful conditions against this, 
only plausible objection, will be an answer to all claims 
that it impairs the responsibility and autonomy of any sec- 
tion of the country, in the matter of " general education." 



14 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

Let 110 true American be diverted from the point at is- 
sue — " shall the general government extend a temporary 
lielp, in mitigating this evil of illiteracy," in all sections of 
the counti-y, where it has been brought about, incidentally, 
by the action of the Government itself, in the matter of 
" emancipation " aiid free immigration ? 

Take this proposition, in connection with the facts that 
illiteracy is " increasing in those sections as fast as the pop- 
ulation," and what sentimental argument about " auton- 
omy and municipal rights," can stand before the I'easons 
against such a contagious disease, as tlireatens the life of the 
whole country ! 

All other elementary education may be safely left to a 
people who can read, and who have a controlling vote in 
their hands ; but tliis of illiteracy, paralyzes both their con- 
trol and their means. Illiteracy is the subtle poison to pro- 
gress, in every other respect ; for even material wealth is 
sure to prove a curse to those who are entirely illiterate. 
Certainly, not a step can be made in any other direction of 
intelligence, until the power to read is conferred. 

XL The Argument in Brief. 

It has been a given principle in the conduct of the gov- 
ernment from its inception, that whatever polic}^ was neces- 
sary to the general safety, progress and wholesome develop- 
ment of the whole country, which was beyond the power of 
the individual States, should be undertaken by the general 
Government, — such as war, insurrection, or any internal 
agency or improvement of national importance. 

The principle is expressed in the preamble of the Consti- 
tution and guides its interpretation. Among the most fatal 
and diffusive evils that can exist in a free government, is il- 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 15 

literacy ; because, it stops all edncatiou at the tbresliold, 
shuts out the maij from an intelligent vote on public affairs, 
and confines him to tlie most inferior class of his fellow- 
citizens, without any hope of advancement ; it virtually, 
therefore, disfranchises and unfits the citizen for his pul)lic 
duties ; it is a fatal injury to the whole country, as a demo- 
cratic republic. 

If this evil of illiterac}^, thei'efore, can be shown to be 
beyond the practical reach of any of the States and Terri- 
tories at this time, it comes properly among the subjects en- 
joined by the preamble of the Constitution ; fur which, 
some special provision should be made by Congress, for the 
" general welfare " of the country. 

This is the case with illiteracy in the South, West, and in 
large cities. 

First, in consequence of the "Act of Emancipation " and 
of the "Laws of Free Immigration," by which a vast num- 
ber of illiterates, M'ith the rights of citizenship, have been 
thrown upon the resources of States and Territories, — the 
least able to bear the burden, — the general Government, at 
least for a time, ought to extend systematic aid to the sev- 
eral States and Teri'itories, in the proportion of their illiter- 
ate population. 

Secondly, inasmuch, as the illiteracy of the States and 
Territories, is " increasing as fast as the population," to 
a dangerous degree, and bej'ond those resoui'ces, which 
can be put at the service of education at present, this 
imminent peril to the whole country, fi'om an illiterate 
population, with the right of franchise, can be avoided 
only by a timely and sufficient help from the general Gov- 
ernment. 



16 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

XII. A Bill in Congress. 

In the first session of the Fifty-first Congress, a bill was 
introduced, at the request of Representative Warner of 
Missouri, for the appointment of a commission on " Re- 
form in Orthography." Three commissioners were to re- 
port to Congress whether, " there is any practical system of 
orthography for the English language, simpler than that 
now in use." The commissioners shall be distinguished 
scholars, etc. 

This bill is doubtless smothered, for the present, uiuler 
the great pressure of the political contest, and weight of 
business that engaged the attention of Congress. But, if, 
it be measured by "final results," there is no subject that 
can engage the mind of patriots, scholars, and intelligent 
teachers, than this of finding the " best practical way," 
of mastering the orthography and the typography of the 
English language, in the teaching of children and adult il- 
literates. 

The Phonic Principle. 

For more than forty years, this principle, in its applica- 
tion to the reading of English, has been zealously and 
laboriously carried out, by different " systems of phonetics," 
introduced into books designed for insti'uction ; and as a 
permanent reform of the spelling and typography of the 
Eii2;lish langua2:e. But, hitherto, this reform ha« made no 
permanent, or important lodgement in the public use of 
educators or teachers. 

Tlie simple reason is that any system of teaching that 
changes radically, the oi'thography, or touches in nwy im- 
portant degree, the typography of the language, is imprac- 
ticable. 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 17 

It will be seen that the " phonic method of teaching," 
derives all its value from a princiijle that is of undoubted 
value in teaching reading, — wherever it can be applied 
without too much objection in practice. 

Tlte " phonic principle " may be stated, as " the teaching 
of reading by sound and sign corresponding." In other 
words, — given the " elementary sounds" of any language, 
to apply the " elementary signs " used in printing the lan- 
guage, as a key to the correct pronunciation of words. 
This is accomplished in all languages which may be called 
"phonic," by the simple fact that the alphabet of such lan- 
guages and the sounds used in speech, cori-espond to the 
letters used in print, or to its typography. The reading of 
such phonic languages, is the simple process of learning to 
associate a certain number of sounds with a certain definite 
number of " signs of sound : " such are the German, Italian 
or Spanish languages : such were probably the conditions 
of reading ancient Greek or Latin. 

But the English language, having adopted the Latin alpha- 
bet for the presentation of its sounds in reading and speak- 
ing, had to employ expedients to compel t^venty-six letters 
to perform the service of representing forty-five " element- 
ary sounds." In this respect, everj'^ modern language that 
employs the Latin alphabet for " its signs of sound," uses 
so?7i6 expedients, — such as ''marking or position" — to make 
that alphabet adequate to its sounds. But such expedients 
are few, and well established in use, and taught with the 
elementary instruction of the pupil in reading. 

Such expedients are well illustrated in the marking, or 
" diacritic marks," used in " pronouncing dictionaries " and 
" spelling-books," to indicate the sounds of the letters and 
the correct pronunciation of words. 



18 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, 

Here, the ordinary typography is so far changed, as to 
make a near approxiniatiou to the ordinary text, and yet 
such as can be read by *' signs and sounds corresponding,'" — 
without altering the orthography of the language. 

The "key" to such systems of typography, is found in 
the beginning of every " pronouncing dictionary." These 
systems of marking in pronouncing dictionaries, arose from 
the absolute necessity of employing some methods to indi- 
cate the correct pronunciation of words ; and the apparent 
neglect oi any such expedients in the ordinary typography 
of the language. 

But so valuable has tliis "phonic principle" been found 
in the teaching and a correct pronunciation, — however ap- 
plied ; so obvious is its use in the construction of the ty- 
pography of a language, that many different methods of 
marking, and different expedients, have been devised during 
the last fifty years, to facilitate its application to the typog- 
raphy of our language. 

Different systems of " phonotypy," have been devised 
with the specific object of giving an English text, to which 
the principle of reading by " signs and sounds correspond- 
ing," shall be strictly applicable. But none of these have 
prevailed to any extent. The insuperable obstacle to the 
introduction of such systems, has been that they change the 
ordinary appearance of tlie text too much, and discard the 
accepted orthography. Yet, it was found that even this 
great change of the text, if introduced into the elementai-y 
" Primers" and Reading-Books for children, by a strict ap- 
plication of the "phonic principle" in I'eading, gave such 
great facility and progress in the teaching, that it had a 
great advantage, as a mere transition to jthe common text 
of Eno;lish. 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 19 

Yet all sacli systems of " pbonotypy," witli much earnest 
zeal, and no little money to back them, have proved abor- 
tive in making any lodgment in our common method of 
teaching the elements of reading. 

This method has always been the same ; — that of nam- 
ing letters and memorizing words ', — without any analysis 
of sounds, as a "key to pronunciation," to be first mastered 
by the pupil in reading. 

The great difficulty in the way of every well-meant re- 
form in the typography of our language is, " what key to 
pronunciation " can we adopt, if we reject the sj-stems of 
"phonotypy " and the expedients and methods of "pro- 
nouncing dictionaries ? " These are rejected, because they 
change too much the ordinary aspect of the text ; so as to 
prejudice its use, even in elenientary reading-books and 
primers designed only, to teach reading. 

" The National Society for the Illiterate" is to be organ- 
ized, to answer this question ; and to meet tliis great diffi- 
cult}^, in a very wholesome and necessary reform. 

The motives of this society will be based upon three 
facts : 

First, according to the testimony of Supeiintendents of 
education, "illiterac}' is increasing in this country as fast as 
the population ; " and this to a dangerous degree. 

Second : The children of the poor, and the illiterate 
adults, which abound in the Soutii and West, and in all 
our large cities, cannot be taught to read by our present 
methods, in the limited time they have to devote to this 
acquisition ; it being a work of three or four j-ears to learn 
to read ; accordingly, illiterate adults and the children of 
the very poor, are virtuallg excluded from our Common 
Schools. 



20 AN ADDRT<:SS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

Third : That as " reading is the gate to knowledge," and 
knowledge is necessar}' to the proper conduct of " free in- 
stitutions," it must prove disastrous to the future of our 
country, to stop so large a portion of our population, at the 
very threshold ; because, the entrance is too long, narrow, 
and difficult. 

These facts have already alarmed the patriotism of many 
American statesmen and Christian lovers of the country. 
It has led to the introduction of " bills in Congress," and 
seems now to call for a special organization to take this 
matter in hand, as a necessary reform and improvement, in 
the all-important department of the "elementary teaching 
of reading." Nothing, but the " enthusiasm of humanity," 
born from the earnest consideration of the facts above men- 
tioned, can either introduce or carry on, such a reform, in a 
class proverbially slow and timid in introducing changes in 
the ordinary methods of teaching. 

This fact, as well as those before mentioned, calls for the 
formation of a " society for the illiterate," — the pooi'estand 
the most needy elements of society, that cannot speak for 
themselves and hence, are tlie most neglected. 

Tlie solution of this problem consists, therefore, in find- 
ing some scientlJiG and rational method of teaching the 
" reading of the language," which, without discarding its 
orthography or its typography, shall apply strictly the 
phonic principle of " ^ fixed nuiiiher of sounds to a fixed 
7iumher of slgns,^^ as they exist in the language, and as a 
key to reading the common text ;— instead of making, as 
now, every v^ord a separate ohject of memory and sjKcial 
study for its correct pronunciation. 

The practical and impoi'tant question is. Can this system 
of primary teaching., or any other that can he pi'oposed, 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 21 

really facilitate and sJiorten the time of teaching reading, so 
as to hring such instruction within the 7'each of a great 
many loho otherwise would remain illiterate f 

We put this method before the attention of the scholars 
and teacliers of America, who liave the judgment in their 
hands, and also the patriotism to recognize its great use 
if they think the principle and method here indicated are 
true and can be made to attain the practical end designed 
for " the illiterate poor." 

We therefore send you herewith this essay and exposi- 
tion of the whole subject, for your study and consideration, 
under the title, " The ]S[ew Pronouncing Text for the In- 
struction of the Illiterate." After due examination, if this 
method of teaching seems to you to promise anj-thing for 
the illiterate class, please send us your name for the mem- 
bership of this Society. The full list of names will soon be 
published and will be found to contain some of the most ac- 
credited educators in the country. 
Address, 

PKOFESSOE J. C. ZACHOS, 
Cooper Union, New York City. 



AN ADDRESS 

TO THE FRIEJSDS OF EDUCATION. 



INTRODUCTION. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE TRUE ALPHABET OF ENG- 
LISH AND '• THE NEW PRONOUNCING TEXT '' FOR ILLIT- 
ERATES. 

1. After several centuries of varying typography and or- 
thography, the English language, by the common and tacit 
consent of educated people, has settled down to a form and 
usage on which the dictionaries can assume an authority 
as the basis of the orthography and typography by them 
adopted. 

2. But the composite nature of our text of English has 
escaped the attention, or baffled the study, of our English 
scholars and teachers, so that this text has hitherto ap- 
peared a chaos of " sounds and signs corresponding,'' with- 
out any regularity' in the relation of the two, and furnish- 
ing no determinate and regular method of teaching that 
applies to elementarj^ pupils in reading. 

3. This has luTidered the spread and propagation of the 
language, as a written speecli, at the very threshold, and 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION, 23 

stopped the progress of civilization and English thought 
to an incalculable degree, notwithstanding the extent and 
power of the English-speaking people in commerce and in 
arms. 

4. In the succeeding exposition of the alphabet, com- 
monly called the " Roman alphabet," of twenty-six letters, 
we have seventy-five diiferent sounds corresponding to the 
letters collectively, ranging from one to eight sounds for 
each letter, or an average of neai-ly three sounds to each. 
(See Part V.) 

5. This fact has created a "sense of chaos" in the 
aspect of this alphabet when presenting the true symbols 
of sound in the orthography and typography of the Eng- 
lish text. 

6. There are forty-five " elementary sounds " to be served 
by these twenty-six letters, some of which, by the usage 
of the text, correspond to eight different sounds, and some, 
in particular places, have no sound at all. 

7. But the truth is that the " Roman alphabet " fur- 
nishes only the hasis of the English signs of sound used 
in print. 

8. The English text, in its orthography and typography, 
is a comjyosltlon^ with its own rules and usages, to which it 
compels the Roman alphabet to furnish material for con- 
struction. 

9. Students of English have failed to perceive, or to 
follow up, this construction ; while the^^ have been indus- 
trious in exposing the deficiencies of the alphabetic letters 
by themselves, in furnishing a consistent and invariable 
number of signs for the sounds of spoken and \vritten Eng- 
glish, such as other modern languages have now. 

iO. This confusion is like that of the " Ptolemaic system 



24 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION 

of astronomy," as compared with tliat of Copernicus, and 
for a similar reason the point of view taken of tlie same 
objects is not identical. 

11. But if we change the investigation from the Homan 
alphabet to the English text, we will find comparative order, 
where before was thought to be '' all confusion." 

12. Those Koman letters must be comjyosed and reeom- 
fosed^ must be hedged in and regulated by stated and inva- 
riable usages prevailing in the text ; and then we can find 
an " alphabet of signs " to decipher the sounds of the Eng- 
lish text, when read by " sign and sound corresponding," 
or on the " phonic principle." 

13. The incomparable value of this "phonic principle," 
as applied to reading and spelling a language, has been fully 
acknowledged and industrially sought for the English lan- 
guage ; but it has been sought outside of the English text 
by a process of invention., and not witliin that text by a true 
method of discovery ! 

14. It is true that there are artificial difficulties and great 
irregularities in the construction of the English text, when 
judged from the simplest application of the phonic princi- 
ple — that of having but one sign for each elementary sound, 
used regularly and without exception. 

15. These irregularities in the usual form of the text of 
books must remain for the present until the sti'ife witli 
fixed habits and associations shall gi-adually overcome such 
irregularities, under the law of evolution in reason. 

16. But so important, so effective, and so fruitful of the 
happiest results has this " phonic principle " been found, in 
whatever method it has been used in the teaching of ele- 
mentary reading, that scholars, teachers, and philanthro- 
pists are convinced that to introduce it in the least offen- 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION 25 

sive and most acceptable way to the uses of primaiy teaching 
is now the greatest need in education. 

17. To meet this obvious and felt necessity is the object 
of this treatise on the " True Alphabet of English " and 
" A New Pj'onouncing Text," with a 7ninimuin of change 
in the typography, and oione in the orthography of Eng- 
lish, designed for elementary teaching in reading. 



SECTION I. 

THE PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF " A NEW PRONOUNCING 

TEXT." 

THE FIVE PRINCIPLES. 

There are five principles and methods that can be used 
to render an English text " phonic " and give to every let- 
ter and digraph a clear significance as to its sound in the 
word, and enable the eye to read the text hy " sign and 
sound corresponding," without changing the proper orthog- 
raphy of the language. 

These principles and methods are used to an imperfect 
degree, in all "pronouncing dictionaries" and spelling- 
books. 

First — Most of the letters and digraphs have one regular, 
adopted usage in the English text, as signs of certain " ele- 
mentary sounds " in the spoken language, such as p, b, f, 
d, ch, th, oi, ou, etc. This principle of a regular adopted 
sign and sound corresponding, makes signs regular " by 
adoption." 

Second — Many of the letters and digraphs have a special 



26 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, 

significance given to them, as signs of sound, by tlicir posi- 
tion 01- association iinifornil}' with other letters, or by their 
uniforni position in tlie syllabication of the word. For 
example : in sepai-ating tiie syllables of words, as is always 
done in dictionaries, a significance as to sound, is given to 
a vowel or a vowel digraph by placing it at the end of the 
syllable with the syllabic space following, Or before a conso- 
nant ending the syllable, or associating an e unite in the 
same syllable, with the preceding vowels, as fat, fat-ten, 
fate, fa-tal, melt, melting, mete, me-ted, bit, bit-ten, bite, 
bi-ting, rot, rot-ted, note, no-ted, mud, mud-d}', mule, 
nni-lish, etc. 

Here the long vowels can be distinguished from the 
shoi-t simply by their position in the syllables or the space 
that divides them; this is called the "syllabic sound " of 
each vowel. This method of distinction, as to sounds of 
letters and digraphs, may be used to give regularity of 
sound by '■^ j)ositiony 

Third — There are certain diacritic or distinguishing 
marks appropriated to certain letters or digraphs that have 
more than one sound and where neither the principles of 
"adoption" or "position" will apply in the particular 
word. These marks are put over the letter or digraph and 
serve to indicate the sound according to " a key " devised 
for the purpose, as in dead, bade, have, wad, wood, son, 
friend, pa^m, etc. 

Fourth— -Where the ]>articular sound given to a letter is 
comparatively rare, instead of devising a special mark in 
" a key," the word is respelled with the proper representa- 
tive letters, as in said = (sed), women = (wimen), busy = 
(bizy), pique = (peek), etc. 

Fifth — Every silent letter or digraph is italicized, unless. 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 27 

like the e mute, at the end of syllables, with a single long 
vowel preceding, it is understood to be mute, or the whole 
word is italicized. The italics are designed to give the 
word its true sounds by omitting the silent letters from 
the pronunciation. Example : limJ, bialt, /c'nock, beauty, 
etc. 

THE EYE AND EAR IN A PRONOUNCING TEXT. 

1. In " The New Pronouncing Text " the eye is instructed 
by the " marking," as well as by the rules and usages of the 
language, by "adoption," or b}^ "position." These deter- 
mine what sounds are used for the signs in any given case. 
Thus a, as in fate, fa-tal, has its sounds by position, and ai, 
ei, ey, as in fail, vein, they — all these have the same sound 
" by adoption ;" this may be learned by the instructed eye. 
So also all the regular " elementary sounds" of the lan- 
guage may be taught and assumed by the ear, as regularly 
answering each, to one or more particular letters or dia- 
graplis, in oral spelling or in writing. 

2. The ear, when instructed in the " eleirientary sounds," 
may be taught to expect regularly certain letters and di- 
graphs by the conditions of " adoption " and " position" for 
each sound. Thus spelling orally may he brought within 
rule, in. the large majority of words; the exceptions must 
be taught to the eye. (See Part lY.) 

3. A " pronouncing text " to the eye for reading pur- 
poses, therefore, requires a different analysis from that of 
tlie text designed for "oral, phonic spelling." The latter 
will guide an instructed ear to expect certain letters regu- 
larl}^ for each sound in the word. The exceptions must be 
given by a full list of such words as is given in the 



28 AN ADDRKSS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

"Third Part" of this work. The use of a "key" will 
vindicate itself by making the exceptions comparatively 
few. 

4. Iti " phonic reading " an instructed eye will find in the 
" key " the " elementary signs " corresponding to the " ele- 
mentary sounds;" i)ut in oi-al "phonic spelling" an in- 
structed ear will find in a " key " the letters and digraphs 
corresponding by rule, by " adoption," or by " position " to 
the sounds heard in the spoken English. 



SECTION II. 

A KEY TO THE NEW PRONOUNCING TEXT. 

Each Sign and Sound Corresjwnding Determined by Adoption, Position, 
or Mnrking. 

Sec. 1. — Vowel-signs, long — By marhing, or hy position (6). 

By marks — a, e, I, 6, u, y. 
By position — ba- be- bi- bo- l)u- by-. 
By position— Fate, Eve, Ice, Ode, Mute, Lye. 
Ohs. — The long vowel is before a space, in syllabication ; 
or, with an e, mute, in the same syllable. 

Sec. 2. — Vowel-signs, short — By marks, or by position (6). 

By marks — a, e, T, 6, ii, y. 

By position — at- et- it- ot- ut- yt-. 

By position — amp, est, int, ost, unk, yst. 

Ohs. — The short vowel is followed bv one or more conso- 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 29 

nants, in sjllabicatioii, without an e, mnte, in the same syl- 
lable. 

Sec. 3. — Consonant-signs — By adovtion = (IT). 

B-b, D-d, F-f, Il-h, J-j, K-k, L-1, M-m, N-n, P-p, K-r, 
S-s, T-t, Y-v, W-w, Y-y, Z-z. 

Ohs. — Some of these signs of sonnd are also distinguished 
by position. (See Sec. 8.) 

Sec. 4. — Irregular vowel-signs, determined hy niarhing or 
hy position = (11). 

By marks — a, a, a, a, a, e, 6, 6, ii, fi, «. 

By position — (a), short and open, (before two consonants, 
one of which is f, n, or s), shaft, ant, cast, grant, pass, 
etc. 

By position — (a), long and open, (in the digraph, ar), far, 
car, star, mar, etc. 

By position — (a), long and broad, (before II, and after 
w), all, call, war, want. 

By position — (S), long and narrow, (before re or ir), fare, 
care, hair, stair, etc. 

By position — (e) like (a) — (before re or ii'), there, where, 
their, Aeir, etc. 

By position — (ii) long and close (after r, when the u is 
long, also, by position), rule, rude, ruin, ruling, etc. 

By position — (+1), initial, like yu — (when the u is long, 
also, by position), use, 11 nit, ab use, etc. 

Ohs. — The sounds of a, 6, 6, ii, are always distinguished 
by the marking — wad, lose, son, put, etc. 



30 AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

Sec. 5. — Vowel digraphs — By adoj^tion or hy 7narl-s (24). 

Digraphs. Equivalen ts. 

ai = av = ei = ey = a 

ee = ea = e 

an = aw = a 

ue = ew =: u or == li 

00 = u 

oa = ow (ow, always marked) = o 

6b (6o, always marked) = fi 

or, (the o, like a) = a 

ar, (the a, like a) == a 

Digraphs, no marhed equivalents. 

oi = oy = oil, boy. 
on = ow = out, cow. 

wx = er = ir = or (the o, always after w) = worm 
=: fur = her = sir, etc. 

Sec. 6. — Consonant digraphs — By adojytion or hy mark- 

ing{l(y).^ 

1. ch, as in church, cheek, etc. 

2. sh, as in shun, shame, etc. 

3. ph, as in phonic, ])hilosopher. 

4. til, as in then, this, they, etc. 

5. th, as in thin, pith, etc. 

6. wh, as in who, when, etc. 

7. ng, as in sing, bang, etc. 

8. ck, as in kick, sack, etc. 

9. qu, as in quick, quote, etc. 



AN ADDKESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 31 

10. (zli) — an adopted sign, for respelling rare sounds of 
s and z — pleasure = (plezli ur), azure = (a zliur). 

Sec. 7. — Polygrajphs in final syllables, xmaccented — By 
adoj)tion and j)osition = (6). 

1. tion = sion = (shun). 

2. tious = cious = (slius). 

3. ous = (us). 

4. ure = (nr). 

Ohs. — Thei'e is a number of these polygraphs in final, 
unaccented syllables, which, except the six above given, are 
re-spelled in the " New Pronouncing Text." 

Sec. 8. — Consonants, each having two sounds — By jiosition. 

I. G, sounded as Jc or as s. 

1. C, c, sounded as /i, k, before a, o, u, r, 1, t; and, as 
the last letter in syllables, unaccented : cat, cot, cut, crab, 
clam, sect, etc.; tonic, cubic, eccen'tric, etc. 

2. C, G, sounded as S, s, before e, i, y ; or, before an e, 
mute, in the same syllable : cede, cite, cyst, etc.; ace, ice, 
duce, hence, since, etc. 

II. G sounded " hard " or " soft "—(as j). 

1. G, (/, hard, as a "rear-palate;" before a, o, u, r, 1, 
and, as the last letter in syllables: gap, go, gun, gi'ant, 
glad, gig, gag, log, etc. 

2. G, g, soft — (as J,j), before e, mute, in the same sylla- 
ble ; or, Avhen marked — (g)— otherwise, g, is always hard : 
g, (soft), rage, huge, oblige, etc. ; g (marked), gem, gin, 
germ, etc.; g (hard), get, give, gig, gild, etc. 



32 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

III. iT, as a "dental," or " rear-palate." 

1. iV, 11, as a dental-sound. At the beginning or the end 
of words and sj'llables: run, nine, noon, nin ny, etc. 

2. N, n, a rear-palate — (as ng), before c and g, hard, or 
before k and q: zinc, ink, span gle, bun gle, nn cle, con 
qnei-, etc. 

Obs. — But ng, when final, in the syllable, has the g si- 
lent, and is a digraph = (ng). (See, Sec. 6.) 

ly. S, s, an " atonic," hissing sound ; or, as a subtonic, 
buzzing sound (like z). 

1. S, s, hissing, at the beginning of all words, and after 
an "atonic'- in the same syllable: sips, j-ats, sticks, safes, 
piths, sleeps, surfs, etc. 

2. /S, s, like Z(a "subtonic" dental). After a "sub-tonic" 
sound, or a long vowel, in the same syllable : rubs, sleds, 
rugs, sums, sins, pills, fui-s, etc. ; raise, nose, rise, fuse, etc. 

Ohs. — There are very few exceptions to this usage of both 
the sounds of s, mentioned above, "by position;" but this 
is enough for the elementary pupil. 

V. ^, like ks, or like gs. 

1, 2^, like I's, when final, in words and syllables ; or, 
when followed by an " atonic sonnd : " box, vex, wax, etc.; 
expect, excuse, excite, etc. 

2. ^, like (/B, when followed by an accented syllable, be- 
ginning with a vowel, or an h, mute : ex-ist', ex-act', 
ex-hale', ex-hanst', etc. 

YI. ed, a final suffix, like t, or like d. 

1. ed, final, is sounded like t, when preceded by any 
" atonic," except t : kick6:d, buffc^d, ripp<3d, bussed, reached, 
etc. (the e silent). 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 33 

2. ed^ final, is sounded as d^ when preceded by any " sub- 
tonic " (the e silent): rubbed, rigged, sunned, felled, etc.; 
but, if t or d precede, ed is sounded as a separate syllable : 
dusted, no-ted, mud-ded, etc. 

VII. JT, short, and Y^ long, in final syllables. 

Y^ is long, in final syllables, when under accent ; and 
short, when not under accent : defy', deny', reply', etc.; 
holy, city, pity, cavalry, rivalry, etc. 

Ohs. — The y is also distinguished by position and adop- 
tion, as in Sections 1, 2. 

Summary of the Key. 

1. Kegular vowel sounds, distinguished by position = 12 — (see Sec. 1, 2). 

2. Eegular vowel sounds, distinguished by marks = 12 — (see Sec. 1, 2). 

3. Irregular vowel sounds, distinguished by position —- 7 — (see "i 

Sec. 4) ■; ^ ^^ 

4. Irregular vowel sounds, distinguished by marks = 4 — (always \ 

marked) J 

5. Consonant sounds, distinguished by adoption ~ 17 — (one marked) = 18. 

6. Consonant digraphs, distinguished by adoption = 9 — (one marked) = 

10— (see Sec. 5). 

7. Vowel digraphs, distinguished by adoption r= 22 — (two marked) = 24. 

8. Consonants, distinguished by position = 6 — (see Sec. 8). 

9. Final polygraphs — by adoption and position = 6— (see Sec. 7). 

Unmarked = 79 ; marked = 27. Total = 106. 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON " THE SUMMARY " AND " THE 

KEY." 

1. It will be seen by the above " summary " that, while 
the unmarked signs of sound are 79, the marked signs are 
27 ; but, the ratio of their respective use, in the " Pro- 
nouncing Text," designed for the pupil, is much greater. 



34 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

The marked Avords are less than six per cent, of the un- 
marked. Tliis fact makes the difference, in tlieir appear- 
ance, between the text of " pronouncing dictionaries," and 
this " Pronouncing Text," as suitable for a Pronouncing 
Primer and a Pi'onouncing Reader, for pupils in "• elemen- 
tary reading." (See, "Pronouncing Peader.") It is the 
number of the words unmarked that makes the " Pro- 
nouncing Text" so near an approximation to the common 
text of English, that the transition for the pupil is very easy. 

Ohs. — Webster's dictionary has forty, and Worcester's 
has sixty, marked letters ; and, in every word of the texts, 
there are marked letters, (See, " Keys, to these Pronoun- 
cing Dictionaries.") 

But there is little need of any " transition,^'' to the com- 
mon text, if, a jf?;*«<:'^R'rtZ and sujfjcient portion of the com- 
mon vocabulai'y of English, is found in the " Pronouncing 
Reader; " this, is actually, accomplished, for the '• Anglo- 
Saxon " part of the language, by the selection, the number, 
and the arrangement of the words of the Reader. 

2. There are three kinds of words in the "Pronouncing 
Text " to which the Key applies — regular, irregular, and 
exceptional. 

The regular words are such as liave all the sounds deter- 
mined, either by the "adoptions" of the language, or by a 
fixed usage of " position ; " — hence, they need no marking. 

The ii-regular words I'equire the marking of some letters, 
Mdiose sounds are not determined, either by " adoption " or 
by " position." 

Of the marked vowels, some are exceptional, or occasion- 
al departures, from the regular sounds, — owing to pai'ticular 
words ; and some are permanently marked, as, " iircgular 
sounds." 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 35 

Exceptional words — dead, bind, host, pWest, etc. : some 
of these must be respelled, as — been = (bin), said — (sed), 
rough = (I'nf), women = (wimin), etc. — (less, tlian one per 
cent, of the whole). 

Letter's pevmanently irregular — a, 6, 6, fi, g — (as, j) ow, 
(x), th : — these sounds are always marked and tanglit in 
the Primer ; — as in wad, lose, son, put, gem, foot, low, 
thin. 

Ohs. — About forty, irregular words, — very common and 
oft-repeated, are taught in the "Primer;" and hence, are 
not marked in the " Header." 

3. It must be borne in mind that the syllabication of 
words is essential to this " Pronouncing Text ; " — as it is 
in '' Pronouncing Dictionaries." 

This separation of the syllables, indicates sounds, as 
clearly as the marks, — -a principle which the dictionaries do 
not use for this purpose ; and yet, they furnish all the au- 
thoritj' for syllabication. 

4. Italic letters are also essential to this " Pronouncing 
Text;" for these indicate the silent letters which leave the 
letters, not silent, to indicate all the ti-ue sounds in the 
word. 

5. In this cursoiy and brief explanation, it is impossible 
to give all particulars necessary to the full understanding of 
this system, and its application to the teaching of the illiter- 
ate ; — which requires a much shorter time than can be done 
by the common, " word method." 

The following facts can be verified, as the results of the 
author's examination into this subject, and having a very 
important bearing upon the whole subject. 

1. Seventy-nine signs of sound — letters and digraphs — 
taken from the common text of English, without any change 



36 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

or marks of distinction, will furnish a true alphabet of sounds 
and enable a pupil to apply strictly the " phonic principle " 
of reading by "sounds and signs corresponding," to every 
word in the English text, as found in dictionaries, — except, 
about six per cent, of the words, which lequire marking 
similar to those used to indicate the proper pronunciation of 
words, in " Pronouncing Dictionai'ies." 

2. That this " Pronouncing Key " can be taught to a pu- 
pil in about fifty lessons, on twenty charts, which illustrate 
the Ke}', for the pupil. It is the " Pronoimc'mg Priinev^'' 
that constitutes the " Key " for the pupil ; — taught by these 
charts, to a whole class, in oral lessons, given in free classes. 

3. But what of the vocabulary ? — how is this to be con- 
vej'ed to the pupil, sufficiently, to inti'oduce him to the 
reading of common books and the newspapers ? Here, it 
must be borne in mind that it is not the whole of the 
vocabulary of English that is needed ; nor, any consider- 
able part ; but, sufficient — say, to lead the Kew Testament. 

4. For this purpose, the following facts can be verified : 
First, that if we take any part of the New Testament 

and count, continuously, ten thousand words, we shall find 
that this passage will contain nearly all the words in the 
New Testament; — either, in their primitive forms, or in 
their dei'ivatives. 

Second, that of these ten thousand words, quite one-half, 
is contained in the repetition of about one hundred very 
familiar and oft-recurring words: — these may be taught in 
the " Primer" before taking the Peader. 

T/iird, that of the five thousand words remaining, about 
twelve hundred only, are ^^jjrimitive words;" and the rest 
are " derivatives,'''' — obtained by attaching about twelve 
suffixes and terminations, to the primitive, according to Jive 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 37 

speoijio rules tliat do not alter the spelling of the primi- 
tives ; or, do so, in some simple and uniform way. 

Fourth, by making a sj^ecial vocabulary by themselves, 
of these twelve hundred primitive words, with their respec- 
tive terminations, given under the rules, we obtain about 
5,000, different words which the pupil can study with great 
advantage, and master them, in a very short time ; — in con- 
nection with, and at the same time, while practising in the 
" Pronouncing Eeader," from which all the " primitive 
words," are taken. 

5. Thus, the " Pronouncing Primer " illustrates this 
" Pronouncing Key," in about 500 words selected and tabu- 
lated, on twenty charts, for the purpose of instruction ; and 
furnishes an adequate " Key " to the " Reader." The 
Reader contains a " practical vocabulary," or almost all the 
words necessary, for the mastery of reading in common books 
and the New Testament in the smallest compass of words. 

6. About one hundred lessons given orally, by a 
teacher, in an " evening school for adults " or, in a " half- 
time school " for " working children," has been found suffi- 
cient, to put this "elementary reading," within the reach of 
the illiterate (see Introduction). 

7. This, it appears to the author, solves the difficulty of 
"illiteracy," among thejjooroi the "English speaking peo- 
ple " ; — while the common " word method " of teaching, 
can make but little impression upon the vast number of il- 
literate adults, or of the " working children of the poor," 
who must leave school very early in life. 

8. The difference between teaching reading by a " Key," 
— instead, of the common " word-method," is impei-fectly 
expressed by the difference between four or five thousand 
words of the " common vocabularly," and these one hun- 



3S AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

dred signs of sound tanglit by a s^'stematic " Primer of 
Charts" constructed to illustrate this "Pronouncing Ke}^"; 
because, there is a " scientijiG method,''^ in the latter, and 
only memory and " learning hy 7'ote,''^ in the former. 

The one opens the "gates of knowledge," w^YA a "X^ey"/ 
the other bursts them open, at last, by repeated and long- 
continued blows ! 



Note. 



"The National Society, For the Illiterate," will have for 
its object, the establishment of free classes in Elementary 
Heading, in all the lai-ge cities of the country, through the 
local interest, in the education of the poor, — both private 
and public. 

The function of this society is to inspire the " public 
spirit" and recommend the method. 

The necessary and incidental expenses, for such an enter- 
prise, may be partiall}^ raised, at first, by the sale of the 
book, which ex]>lains the method of teacJmig proposed ; — if 
there be a sufficient i-esponse and encouragement, to this 
Address, and brief explanation, sent to the Educators of 
the countr}'. 

The Book will consist of an Introduction and Four Parts — 

Part First. — The " Pronouncing Alphabet of Eng- 
lish," which gives a text that does not alter the Orthogra- 
phy of the Language ; and in the smallest degree, changes 
the common Typogi-apln\ 

Part Second. — The Pronouncing Primer, illustrating 
the " Pronouncing Al]ihabet ; " and serves as a " Key," to 
the Pronouncing Reader. 



AN ADDEESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 39 

Part Third. — The Pronouncing Reader which con- 
tains a vocabulary of Anglo-Saxon ; — sufficient to read the 
Kew Testament, — in the smallest compass of words. 

Part Fourth. — A Vocabulary of Words, selected from 
the Reader, to illustrate " oral spelling," and show the 
composition of words. 

The Book, will be sold, by subscription, at one dollar. 

N. B. All "Copyrights'' will be the property of the 
"^National Society for the Illiterate;" and the proceeds 
will be strictly applied to its expenses, in the propagation 
of this cause, as stated in the IS^ote, above. 



THE PRONOUNCING READER. 

(A Specimen.) 

LESSON I. 

From the Book of Genesis. 
Chap. I. 

1 In the be gin'ning, God ere a'ted the heav en and the 
e«rth. 

2 And the earth was with out' form, and void ; and 
dark ness was up on' the face of the deep : and the Spir it 
of God m6v<?d upon' the face of the waters. 

3 And God said,' Let there be iT^^t; and there was 
\\ghi. 

Note (1). — All irregular words, not marked or respelled, are taught in 
the. " Primer."" Thsse are about, 40, very common words. 



40 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

4 And God saw the liyAt, that it was good ; and God 
divi'ded the lI^At f roiii the darkness. 

5 And God called the light Day, and the dark ness he 
calkd lsi(/ht. And the eve ning and the morn ing were tlie 
first day. • 

6 And God said, Let there be afir niii nient in the midst 
of the waters, and let it divide' the waters from the 
wa ters. 

7 And God made the firmament, and divi'ded the wa- 
ters whiclf weve un der the fir ma ment from the wa ters 
which were a bove' the fir m.a ment ; and it was so. 

8 And God called the fir ma ment Heaven. And the 
evening and the morn ing were the sec ond day. 

9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be 
gathered togeth'er un to one' place, and let the dry land 
ap pear' ; and it was so. 

10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gatli er- 
ing togeth'er of the waters called he Seas; and God saw 
that it was good. 



LESSON ir. 

1 1 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the 
herb y^elding seed, and the frll^t-tree y?'eld ing fru^t after 
his kind, 'iohose seed is in itself, upon' the earth; and it 
M'as so. 

12 And the earth brou^At-(brawt) forth grass, and Aerb 
y^elding seed after his kind, and the tree y/eld ing friv?t, 

' Note. — Italic letters, are silent ; und leave the rest of the letter.-^, as 
the true " signs of sound." 



AN ADDRESS TO TI!E FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 41 

?^?li6se seed was in it self, af ter liis kind ; and God saw that 
it was good. 

13 And the evening and the morning were the third 
day. 

14 A.nd God said. Let there be ii^Ats in the firmament 
of the heav en to div ide' the day from the ni^At ; and let 
them be for si^ns and for sea sons, and for days and years. 

15 And let them be for li(//its in tlie firmament of the 
heav en to give lI^At up on' the earth ; and it was so. 

16 And God made two gr<?at li^Ats ; tlie great er li^At to 
rule the daj-, and the less er light to rule the nig/it : he 
made the stars also. 

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven 
to give \ight up on' the earth, 

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to 
divide' the ]ight from the darkness; and God saw that it 
was good. 

19 And the eve ning and the morn ing were the f oi^rth 
day. 

20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abun'- 
dantly the mo ving creature that hath life, and fowl that 
may fly a bove' the earth in the o pen fir ma ment of heaven, 

21 And God ere a' ted great whales, and every living 
crea ttire that mov eth, wliicli the wat ers brought — (brawt) 
forth a bun' dant ly af ter their kind, and ev er y winged fowl 
af ter his kind ; and God saw that it was good. 

22 And God blessed them, saying, Be frmtful, and 
multiply, and fill the wa ters in the seas, and let fowl mul- 
tiply in the earth. 

23 And the eve ning and the morn ing were the fifth 
day. 



4:2 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 



LESSON III. 

2-i And God said,' Let the earth bring fortli the liv ing 
crea tnre af ter his kind, cat tie, and creep ing thing, and 
beast of the earth af ter his kind ; and it was so, 

25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, 
and cat tie af ter their kind, and ev ery tiling that creep eth 
npon the earth after his kind ; and God saw that it was 
good. 

26 And God said. Let ns make man in oar image, after 
our like ness ; and let them have do min'ion o ver the fish of 
the sea, and o ver the fowl of the air, and o ver the' cat tie, 
and over all the earth, and o ver ev ery creep ing thing that 
creep eth np on' the earth. 

27 So God crea'ted man in his own image, in the im- 
age of God ere a'ted he him ; male and fe male ere a'ted he 
them. 

28 And God blessal them, and God said nn to them. Be 
frl^^tfnl, and multiply, and re plen'ish the earth, and sub- 
due' it; and have do min'ion over the fish of the sea, and 
o ver the fowl of the air, and o ver ev ery living thing that 
movetli upon' the earth. 

29 And God said, Be hold', I have given yon ev er y Aerb 
bear ing seed, which is up on' the face of all the earth, and 
every tree, in the which is the fru^t of a tree yielding 
seed; to ymi it shall be for meat. 

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl 

' Note. — All that is taught in the " Primer," is assumed to be familiar 
to the Pupil, in the " Pronouncing Reader." 



AN ADDEESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 43 

of the air, and to every thing that creep eth upon' the 
earth, wherein' there is life, I liav^ given every green 
hevh for meat ; and it was so. 

31 And God saw everything that he had made ; and, 
behold', it was very good. And the evening and the 
morn ing wer^ the sixth day. 



LESSON IV. 
Chap. II. 

1 Thus the heav ens and the earth were fin ished, and all 
the host of them. 

2 And, on the seventh day, God ended his work which 
he had made ; and he rested on the seventh day from all 
his work which he had made. 

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, 
because' that in it he had rested from all his work which 
God ere a'ted and made. 

4 These are the genera'tions of the heavens and of the 
earth when they were ere a'ted, in the day that the Lord 
God made the earth and the heav ens ; 

5 And every plant of the field be fore' it was in the 
earth, and every herh of the field before' it grew : for the 
Lord God had not caused it to rain up on' the earth, and 
there was not a man to till the ground. 

6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and wa tered 
the whole face of the ground. 



44 AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 

LESSON XIX. 
Chap. IV. 

1 Then was Je sns led up of the Spirit in to the wil der- 
ness to be tenrpt ed of the Dev il. 

2 And, when he had fast ed for ty days and for ty mghts, 
he was af ter ward an hun gred, 

3 And, wlien the Tenijt>t er came to him, he said. If thou 
be the Son of God, com mand' that these stones be made 
bread. 

4 But he an siveved and said, It is writ ten, Man shall 
not live by bread alone', but by every word that pro ceed'- 
eth out of the month of God. 

5 Then the Devil ta keth him up into the holy city, 
and set teth him on a pin na cle of the tem pie, 

6 And saith un to him, If thou be the Son of God, east 
thy self down : for it is -i^rit t^n. He shall give his an gels 
charge con cern'ing thee ; and in theiv hands they shall 
bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against' 
a stone. 

7 Jesus said un to him, It is ^«ritt(?n again', Thou shalt 
not tempt the Lord thy God. 

8 Again', the Devil ta keth him up into an exceed'ing 
hi^/i mountain, and shoioeth him all the kingdoms of the 
world, and the glo ry of them ; 

9 And saith (seth) un to him, All these things will I give 
thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 

10 Then saith Jesus un to him, Get thee hence, Satan ; 



AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 45 

for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
and him only shalt thou serve. 

11 Then the Devil leavetli him; and, behold'! angels 
came and min is tered un to him. 

Note. — In this specimen of the " Pronouncing Reader," there are 1200, 
words ; of these there are forty, marked, or irregular words ; — not count- 
ing ?'ej)e^jYio?is,— or, about, three, per cent. 



ADDENDA. 

The facts and proofs of the great utility of this ^'-Rew 
Method with the Illiterate " will be found stated in the In- 
troduction to the forthcoming book ; they are fully sup- 
ported by competent testimony. 

To repeat these " facts and proofs," in every city of the 
country', and wherever, the intelligence and interest of edu- 
cators and Teachers, can be enlisted in behalf of the adult 
Illiterate, and the "children of the poor," is the design and 
purpose, of The National Soc. for the Illiterate. 



New York,- 



I have thought that it would be perfectly appropriate, 
and interesting to you, if I sent you the accompanying 
" Circular to the Friends of Education." 

It is an Introduction to a " Treatise on the Best 
Method of Dealing with the Illiterate." It is a "new de- 
parture " in primary instruction in reading ; because, it 
starts with a '^ discovery of the true nature of the English 
Text," and the finding of an "Alphabet of signs and sounds 
corresponding," taken from the Test itself, and used as a 
"Key to Eeading." Hence, for the first time in the history 
of teaching, a " strict, pronouncing Text" is applied to the 
reading of Ehghsh — without altering the Orthography, and in 
a very slight degree touching the Typography of the Com- 
mon Text. " 

The importance of this "discovery," at the present 
time, and in the condition of our country with respect to 
illiteracy, is set forth in the accompanying paper. It is 
"A Circular to the Friends of Education," that sets forth 
the necessity and the present opportunity of dealing with 
the problem of the ever-increasing illiteracy of our country. 

I have not, as yet, published mj Work, the nature of 
which I indicate in the "Circular," nor do I consider my 
Work of any importance, except, as answering the question 
— " What shall we do vsdth the vast number of the illiterate, 
in this country, constantly growing upon us by immigration. 



and the children of those too poor to stay even at a "Free 
School," long enough to read weU, before the age of nine or 
ten ; — when they must leave school " to earn a li-ving " 

The means ai*e provided for this publication ; and are 
put entirely at the command of " The National Association 
for the Eliterate." 

But the application of this reform, in the teaching of 
elementary reading, is too great a work, for any private 
means, to accomplish ; it is co-extensive with the country ; 
and if it be of any importance, it is of national importance. 

Therefore, the necessity is felt, of forming such an Asso- 
ciation, and soliciting the moral support and co-operation of 
every citizen who recognizes the necessity of doing some- 
thing to grapple with the "evil of Illiteracy" throughout 
this countiy of free institutions. 

You are hereby, solicited merely, to send us your name 
as a member of the Society, without any conditions or obU- 
gations than such as are mentioned in the accompanying 
address. It is simply "to help on the cause" 

Yours respectfully, 

J. C. ZACHOS, 

Cur(i.tor of the Library of the CoojJer Union, New Ym-k. 



N. B. — Please notice, this is not a "reform in spelling," to 
which there is nothing hostile in onr Treatise ; but a reform in tearli- 
inr] Heading; and such simple changes in the typography of an 
" Elementary Primer " and a " Pronouncing Reader," as to bring both 
within easy reach of the "illiterate poor"; to whom the "phonic 
principle" of teaching by " sign and sound corresponding," may be 
strictly applied. 



